Emphysema Essays - Respiratory Physiology, Respiratory Diseases

Emphysema Introduction: Emphysema is a condition of the lungs that involves the over-inflation of the air sacs, otherwise known as the alveoli. Normal functioning of the alveoli helps breathing in normal respiration. Unlike other lung diseases this one can be inherited. This is a disease that can affect people of all ages and genders. In 1994, the number of males with emphysema outnumbered the females by fifty four percent. However, in the two years that followed the difference between males and females decreased by ten percent. Classification: Emphysema is a lung disease that is classified as a COPD. (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) Natural History (Symptoms): A person may notice various signs that will lead them to believe they may have emphysema. The most common symptom that people begin to feel is shortness of breath. Usually, this begins while exercising or taking part in some sort of physical activity. Eventually, they will even begin to feel like they are not getting enough oxygen even when they are just sitting and relaxing. Some other symptoms that could be related are chronic coughing which could worsen in the morning upon waking up, wheezing, and chronic mucus production, which may result in a constant need to clear the throat. Some may notice that they feel fatigued very easily as well. There can also be many health complications that may occur which include recurrent respiratory tract infections and respiratory failure. This is caused by the lung's loss of ability to function properly. There are many physical changes that may occur as well, leading some to believe they may have emphysema. The most common physical change may be in their chest, which takes on a barrel-like appearance. This will happen so that the lungs can make up for the actual dysfunction by expanding. Others may notice a bluish discoloration of the lips and nail beds caused by lack of oxygen in the blood. Swelling and increased fluid in the lungs may also be a sign to look for. A steady tracking of the symptoms and health history of the person should be taken into consideration as well. Prevalence and/or Incidence: Emphysema is a fairly common disease, with two out of one thousand people reporting cases. Currently, there are 1.8 million Americans in the United States that have emphysema. Emphysema is ranked 15th among chronic conditions or diseases which limit people's daily activity. A study by the American Lung Association shows that 44 percent of people with emphysema have reported that their daily activities have been greatly limited due to the disease. Ethnical Distribution: Emphysema can be contracted by people of all walks of life and does not favor any particular ethnic groups. The contraction of emphysema mainly depends on life style. Geographical Distribution: Emphysema is a disease that in not only caused by the way you live, but can be contracted through the area in which a person lives. For example, people who live in urban areas are at higher risk. This is due to the fact that these areas are more highly populated with factories and cluttered with automobiles. These factories produce a great deal of smoke which can be very harmful to the lungs of the people who inhale it. The automobile exhaust has the same affect on the lungs if inhaled for long periods of time. Time of Study: In 1994 the study on males and females and their percentage difference was performed and then in 1996 the study was updated. Risk Factors or Causes: Scientific research shows that the normal lung system has a strong balance between two classes of chemicals, which strongly oppose each other. Also included in the lungs are many elastic fibers, which are necessary for the lung to expand and contract. The chemical balance in a normal lung can be altered which will result in destruction of these elastic fibers. Exhaling becomes difficult because the elastic fibers are damaged which in turn harms the lung. According to the American Lung Association, this is what happens when someone is suffering from emphysema. The reasons why this chemical balance might occur are numerous. The majority of emphysema cases are related to smoking, specifically eighty two percent. Emphysema occurs as a gradual process that is due not only to cigarette smoke, but great exposure

Tips on How to Save College Relationships After Graduation

Tips on How to Save College Relationships After Graduation There was a time when one of the only reasons women attended educational institutions, was to find themselves a husband! Of Course, times have changed, and female students are there to learn and attain the qualifications needed for their chosen career. However, that doesn’t mean college romances are a thing of the past. In fact, according to USA Today 28% of married graduates met their spouse at college! That statistic is even higher for religious institutions where as many as 60% of such romances end in marriage. Looks like those people knew some hacks on how to save college relationships after graduation. Dating in college is not like dating in the real world. It is not always plain sailing. Relationships and indeed day to day life play out within a campus bubble and this can spell trouble after graduation. Many alumni struggle to make it once they are out in the adult world and facing the stress of a career and other responsibilities the cracks begin to show. However, if you are determined to stay with your current partner, the following tips might help you. Tips on How to Save College Relationships After Graduation Talk About the Future Preemptively – One of the best tips on how to save college relationships is to talk about your future plans as early as possible. Don’t wait until the last day of studying to discuss where you see the relationship going. Discuss the situation a few months before graduation rolls around and make sure you both see the same future. It might be a tough conversation but be open and honest with each other. Do you plan to move close to each other? If not, are you prepared to have a long-distance relationship? These are questions which need to be asked. Is Exclusivity Important to You? – One of the biggest reasons why college relationships fail is because one or both partners cheat. This can be an especially big temptation if you go to different towns or states after graduation. What if we took cheating out of the equation? Is exclusivity important to you? A growing number of young people are experimenting with open or polyamorous relationships. It’s not for everyone, but for some it is a great way to stay together after studying ends. Be Prepared to Embrace Change – Another of our favourite tips on how to save college relationships is to be ready to embrace change. College is totally different from the every day grind and sometimes the change can be overwhelming. You and your partner may find yourselves developing different interests and veering off on your own path. That’s okay and it is no cause for alarm. However, you do need to be prepared for this change. Give each other time to grow and find the right path. Be supportive and you can find your way together as a couple. Always Communicate – Graduation is a huge transitional period in our lives, so we must make an effort to communicate our plans and expectations. Its a bad idea to ignore each other only because you are afraid to face your problems. Try to be sincere with each other about your feelings and plans. Never Sacrifice Your Dreams – Sometimes after diplomas are handed out, you and your partner will be headed home to different cities. Long-distance doesn’t work for everyone, so it may seem like one of you has to make the move if your romance is to have any hope of lasting. However, one of the biggest tips on how to save college relationships after graduation is to not make this mean you are sacrificing your dreams. If one partner has to be the one to leave their dreams behind to be with the other, then eventually resentment will bubble up to the surface and that can be the kiss of death for any affair. Compromise is key to a successful relationship, so make sure you both have equal importance and priority when it comes to making your dreams come to life. Sometimes It Is Right to Say Goodbye Although there are plenty of tips on how to save college relationships after graduation, it is important to decide if it is really the right thing to do. Some relationships are not meant to last beyond college and that is perfectly okay. Sometimes the right thing to do is say goodbye after graduation. Here are three common indicators that your college romance may not be long lasting: You Have Different Goals – Have you started to think about life after college. What is the next step? Will you head out of state? Are you planning on getting into your chosen career immediately? Are you considering a year out to travel the world? Whatever your plans involve it is important that your partner shares those goals. If one of you is dedicated to building a career at home while the other is intent on backpacking across Australia, then your relationship is not on track for survival. Something Doesn’t Feel Right – Usually when a relationship is coming to its natural end, something starts to feel a little off. It could be that some of your partner’s quirks that were once cute now get on your nerves, or maybe you just don’t communicate the way you used to. Whatever it is, if you don’t feel right it usually indicates that its game over. Once you realise this, it might be the perfect time to make the break. You Can’t Imagine the Future Together – Once finishing college most of us start to think more seriously about settling down. That often means imaging the kind of life your future holds. Marriage. Kids. A home in the suburbs. Who do you see standing by your side? If it is not your current sweetheart, then alarm bells should be ringing. If you can’t picture yourself married to that person then it is unlikely that your relationship is going to flourish after you graduate. Keeping a college romance alive is not always easy, but hopefully with these tips on how to save college relationships you can enjoy the next stage of your lives together. Good Luck!

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - Essay Example Generally, the ultimate goal is to present a case study on a chosen patient which is diagnosed to have COPD. The case is then presented and analyzed on the basis of the physiological functions, the effects on the systemic balance of the patient, the probable care required while taking into consideration of the history and past ailments of the patient. The prevalence of lung diseases is considered as one of the concerns of the present generation of medical care. One of the respiratory diseases that cover a variety of ailments and symptomatic indications is the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The disease commonly includes lung deficiencies such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema or overlapping cases of such diseases. This disease mainly involves the increasing malfunction of the lungs mainly due to building up impediment in the respiratory passages (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute or NHLBI, 2003). One of the leading causes of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is the increasing amount of pollutants in the atmosphere and high percentage of smokers. The data gathered from study of cases related to COPD is limited but it can be surmised that due to the fact that the exposure to agents causing this ailment is relatively high, the cases of recorded COPD is only a small portion of the actual number of those affected. Based on general studies on the exposure to smoking in particular that reaches to 1.2 billion of the world population, the susceptibility of the population is related to this total number (Davis and Novotny, 1989; Sharma, 2006). Causes of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease To specifically present the possible causes of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease factors such as causative agents and susceptibility to the disease are presented. Causative agents are cigarette smoking and air pollution. On the other hand the contributing factor such as airway hyper responsiveness and Alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency are also important. These two factors determine the risk that a patient faces in relation to COPD (Sharma, 2006). One of the main reasons for the incidence of COPD is smoking. Of the recorded cases of COPD gathered from hospital records, 15% are caused by cigarette smoking. The severity of the condition and in relation to the mortality can be attributed to factors such as the age that a patient started smoking, the rate of smoking and even the exposure to other smokers. The factor such as continued smoking even in the incidence of observance of the possible indications of COPD is also considered. The highest proportion which is 90% risk of rate can be attributed to tobacco consumption. The non-smokers that are in close association to the smokers are also in great risk of acquiring lung diseases which includes asthma and deterioration of the lung processes. The pollution in the air is another causative agent in the onset and progressive development of COPD. Although this is the case, there is less effect when compared to smoking. Smoke and other particulates in the atmosphere along with the house hold consumption of fuel also contribute to the increasing incidence of lung ailments (Sharma, 2006). The susceptibility of the patients to respiratory ailments can also contribute to acquisition of the disease. The "hyper responsivene